Device for aiding in the bundling of mail

ABSTRACT

A device for aiding in the bundling of mail having a base portion which may be applied to a support that may be part of a mail sorting case or a wall adjacent thereto. The device includes a base or foundation material having outwardly extending parts on which is formed a plurality of spaced rounded portions to which an elastic band may be applied. Preferably, the device has two pairs of such rounded portions so that the device may be utilized either by a right or left handed postal clerk. In practice, the elastic band is pulled outwardly with one hand and a bundle of mail is inserted in the expanded band with the other hand. The band is then released to permit it to contract around the package of mail. The elastic band may be removed from the device by a slight twist of the bundle of mail. When the sorting case is used as a support, the device may be easily applied thereto and released therefrom.

United States Patent Potts et al.

[4 1 Feb. 26, 1974 DEVICE FOR AIDING IN THE BUNDLING OF MAIL [76] Inventors: Herbert J. Potts, 5967 W. 215th St., Fairview Park, Ohio 44126; Godfrey L. Larson, 6514 W. 83rd St., Shawnee Mission, Kans. 65204 22 Filed: Dec. 8, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 205,954

[52] US. Cl. 100/1, 100/9 [51] Int. Cl B651) 13/00 [58] Field of Search 100/1, 2, 9; 53/135, 390

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,152,275 8/1915 Bourn 100/1 X 2,882,660 4/1959 Denton 100/9 X 3,386,371 6/1968 Farmer et a1. 100/9 3,186,333 6/1965 Hoffman et al 100/9 3,217,461 11/1965 Wheelock 100/9 Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite [57] ABSTRACT A device for aiding in the bundling of mail having a base portion which may be applied to a support that may be part of a mail sorting case or a wall adjacent thereto. The device includes a base or foundation material having outwardly extending parts on which is formed a plurality of spaced rounded portions to which an elastic band may be applied. Preferably, the device has two pairs of such rounded portions so that the device may be utilized either by a right or left handed postal clerk. In practice, the elastic band is pulled outwardly with one hand and a bundle of mail is inserted in the expanded band with the other hand. The band is then released to permit it to contract around the package of mail. The elastic band may be removed from the device by a slight twist of the bundle of mail. When the sorting case is used as a support, the device may be easily applied thereto and released therefrom.

12 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR AIDING IN THE BUNDLING OF MAIL Our invention relates to a device for aiding in the application of an elastic band to a bundle of mail. More particularly, it relates to a device of this type including a base or foundation which is adapted to be or is mounted upon a support and which is provided with an outward extension having spaced rolls thereon for receiving an elastic band.

In mail sorting cases now generally utilized in post offices throughout the United States, the case consists of a plurality of spaced vertically extending panels between each pair of which is arranged a plurality of spaced horizontally extending base members, each of which base member has an arcuate-shaped recess therein for enabling letters or packages to be easily removed from the respective pockets, and while our improved apparatus may be mounted upon any suitable support, such as a wall or the edge of a wall adjacent the casing, we have found it to be convenient to support the apparatus upon the case itself in which case after the elastic bands is applied to the mail collected from one or more of the pockets, the device may be removed from the case and laid on the top thereof or on the same table on which the case is supported. In view of the large number of such devices that may be utilized in facilitating the packaging of mail, it is of course desirable to provide a device which may be constructed at low cost.

In accordance with the present invention, a device is provided having a base portion which may be removably mounted upon a suitable support that is preferably but not necessarily a portion of a post office letter case and which has at least one portion extending outwardly from the base portion which has a pair of spaced curved portions thereon for receiving an elastic band. Preferably, the extension includes two pairs of spaced rounded portions extending outwardly therefrom so that the device may be utilized by a left or right handed postal clerk.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved device which may be constructed at a comparatively low cost for aiding in the application of an elastic member, such as a rubber band, to a bundle of mail.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved device having a base portion which may be mounted upon a support, such as a portion of a post offree letter case which has a pair of outwardly extending curved portions around which an elastic band may be applied, a portion of which band may be pulled outwardly with one hand at which time a package of mail may be inserted into the expanded band with the other hand, irrespective of whether the postal clerk is right or left handed.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device having its upper and lower portions within the recesses of two horizontally disposed base plates of a post office sorting case with a central portion extending outwardly therefrom and having spaced curved portions for receiving an elastic band.

Another object of our invention is to provide a device having a base or foundation plate secured to one of the vertical panels of a post office sorting base and an outwardly extending member having curved portions for supporting an elastic band.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a device which is supported or is adapted to be supported on an end wall arranged adjacent a post office letter case or which is provided with legs for engaging the edge portions of two recesses of a pair of spaced base plates in a post office sorting case.

Our invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a post office letter case showing one form of our improved device mounted upon two spaced base plates in a vertical column of the post office sorting case;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of our device showing it mounted upon upper and lower base plates extending between two vertical panels and being arranged adjacent one of the vertical panels and provided with means for securing it thereto;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third form of our invention including upper and lower extending legs thereon which legs terminate in inwardly extending prongs for engaging the opposite edges of recesses in a pair of adjacent upper and a pair of adjacent spaced lower base plates.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another form of our device having a base portion consisting of two pairs of legs for engaging a support in the form of a wall which may be the end wall of a post office sorting case;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 5 taken on a plane passing through the line 66 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 7 taken on a plane passing through the line 8-8 of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 9, taken on a plane passing through the line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 12 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 11, taken on a plane passing through the line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

Referring to the drawings, one form of our device is shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6 and consists of a base or foundation member 1 which as shown in FIG. 6 consists of a pair of plates, the upper plate of which is bifurcated and inclined outwardly from the base member as indicated by the numerals 2 and 3 and terminates in outwardly extending flanges 3a and 4 having rolled or curved end portions 5 and 6 and 7 and 8, respectively.

To enable the base portion of the device shown in FIG. 1 to be applied to upper and lower base plates in a post office sorting case, the base member 1 of our device has upper aligned narrow slots or openings 9 and 10 and lower aligned narrow slots or openings 11 and 12 as shown in FIG. 5 so that when the device is inserted edgewise into the aligned recesses of the upper and lower base plates in a vertical column, the device may be turned to cause the edges of the recesses of the upper base plate of the sorting case to be received in the upper longitudinal slots in the base member of our device and the edges of the recesses of the lower base plates of the sorting case to be received in the aligned slots 11 and 12 in the lower base portion of our device at which time the flanges 3 and 4 with the spaced rolls S and 6 and 7 and 8 thereon will extend outwardly from the base plate of our device.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing an elastic band 13 may be applied around rolls and 6 or around rolls 7 and 8 depending upon whether the postal clerk is right or left handed. In the event the postal clerk is right handed as shown in FIG. 1, the elastic band is applied around rolls 7 and 8 and when the elastic band is pulled outwardly or expanded with the left hand, a bundle of mail is inserted into the interior of the elastic band with the right hand. The elastic band is then permitted to contract at which time the elastic band may be removed from the rolls 7 and 8 by applying a slight twist of the bundle of mail by the postal clerk. In the event the postal clerk is left handed, the band may be applied to the rolls 5 and 6 and as the postal clerk expands the elastic band with the right hand, a bundle of mail may be inserted into the expanded band with the left hand which band is then released to cause it to contract at which time a slight twist of the bundle of mail will remove the elastic band from spaced rolls 5 and 6.

Another form of our device is shown in FIGS. 2, 7 and 8 which shows a base portion consisting of a pair of thin metal plates designated by the numeral 1 and having upper and lower notches l4 and 15 therein for receiving portions of the base plates of spaced upper and lower pockets adjacent a vertical column of the post office sorting case. It will be noted that the upper portion of the base plate has an additional notch 16 therein so that in the event the base plates are further apart than the notches designated by the numerals 14 and 15, the upper base may be received in the high notch. As shown in the drawings, the plates are inclined outwardly in a converging manner from the sorting case and one of the plates is provided with a flange 17 extending in one direction and the other plate is provided with a flange 18 extending in the opposite direction. As shown, the flanges are provided with rounded end portions 19 and 20 and 21 and 22, respectively, for

receiving elastic bands. To enable the device to be maintained in a firm position on the adjacent column of the sorting case, our device is provided with a rotatable arm 23 which is spaced outwardly from the base plates by a stationary washer 24 which arm is rotatable to engage the adjacent vertical column of the sorting case for maintaining the device in a stationary position. It will of course be apparent that the expansion of the elastic band applied to rolls l9 and 20 or rolls 21 and .22, respectively, for facilitating the packaging of bundles of mail is similar to that described with respect to the device shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6.

Another form of our device is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the device includes an upper pair of legs 25 and 26, both of which legs are provided with inwardly turned hooks 27 and 28 which engage the respective edge portions of the recesses in base plates in adjoining columns of the sorting case as shown in FIG. 3 and in a like manner, the device includes a pair of lower legs 29 and 30 having hooked end portions 31 and 32 which engage the edges of the recesses in lower base plates in adjoining columns of the sorting case as likewise shown in FIG. 3. In defining the invention, it will be understood that the legs may be considered the foundation of the base members.

In FIGS. 3, 9 and 10, it will be noted that legs 24 and 26 extend upwardly at an angle of approximately 45 relative to the base plates to which they are connected and have formed therein a rounded reverse pair of loops 33 and 34, the upper portions of which merge into a level portion 35 and in a like manner legs 29 and 30 extend upwardly at an angle of approximately 45 relative to the lower base plates to which they are secured and have formed therein rounded reverse loops 36 and 37, the upper portions of which merge into a level portion 38 that is parallel to the level portion 35 and the upper portions 38 and 35 are connected together by a pair of rods 39 and 40 to form the assembled structure.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10, the loops 33 and 36 and the loops 34 and 37 provide supports for an elastic band which may be expanded to receive a bundle of mail in the manner previously described which may be given a slight twist to remove the elastic band from the device.

A modification of the device shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10 is shown in FIGS. 4, l1 and 12 which as shown in FIG. 4 may engage the edge of a wall which may be but is not necessarily the end wall of a mail sorting case. For this purpose, the upper legs 41 and 42 are in the form of a resilient loop having inwardly turned end portions arranged in aligned apertures in the wall which is here designated by the numeral 43 and the outer face of which forms a support for the outer portions of the legs 41 which are then inclined outwardly as shown in FIGS. 4 and 12 and have formed thereinto rounded loops 43 and 44, the upper portions of which loops merge in a level portion 45 and in a like manner the lower legs 41a and 42a are in the form of a resilient loop having inwardly turned end portions which extend into lower aligned apertures in the wall, the outer face of which wall forms a support for the lower loop and the upper portion of the lower legs are also inclined outwardly and terminate in reverse loops 46 and 47, the outer portions of which merge into a level portion 48 which is connected to the level portions 45 by suitable means, such as rods 49 and 50 to form the assembled structure. As shown in FIG. 4, the loop portions 43 and 46 or loop portions 44 and 47 may form a support for the elastic band, either of which may be utilized in facilitating the packaging of mail, depending upon whether the postal clerk is left or right handed. The device may be removed from the wall 43 by pulling the resilient legs outwardly and in this connection, it may be stated that all the devices may be easily applied to and removed from a support, such as a post office sorting case. Our improved device is also instrumental in avoiding accidents in the event that the elastiv band should break during the handling of the mail.

What we claim is:

l. A device for aiding in the application of an endless elastic band to a bundle of mail including foundation means, part of which are so shaped that they may be secured to a stationary support, means forming part of and extending outwardly from said foundation means and having stationary arcuate-shaped portions at its oppose ends, means for positively connecting said arcuate-shaped portions together and maintaining them in stationary positions, said arcuate-shaped portions being arranged at a sufficient distance from each other for receiving an elastic band when the band is in a contracted state, and said band having sufficient resilency that it may be expanded outwardly to a sufficient extent from the stationary rounded portions of said device to permit a bundle of mail to be inserted within a loop formed by the spaced arcuate-shaped portions of the device and the expanded band.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the rounded portions of the device are sufficiently narrow so that a slight twist of the bundle of mail within the contracted elastic band will enable the bundle with the contracted band thereon to be moved from the device.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the means extending outwardly from the foundation means has two pairs of rounded portions thereon with the rounded portions of each pair being in spaced relation to each other and in which the rounded portions of each pair are so arranged relative to each other that the elastic band may be applied to one pair of rounded portions of the device when the postal clerk is right handed and to the other pair of rounded portions when the postal clerk is left handed.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the foundation means is provided with spaced upper aligned narrow openings and spaced lower aligned narrow openings for receiving portions of a support.

5. A device for application to a support as defined in claim 1 in which the support is the base portion of two aligned upper and lower pockets of a post office sorting case, each having an arcuate-shaped recess therein, and in which the device has upper aligned openings therein for receiving the edges of the recess in the upper pocket and lower aligned openings therein for receiving the edges of the recess in the lower pocket.

6. A device for application to a support as defined in claim 1 in which the support is the base portions of two aligned upper and lower plates of a post office sorting case, each having an arcuate-shaped recess therein and a vertical column of the case therebetween and in which the device has an upper notch for receiving a portion of the upper base member and a lower notch for receiving a portion of the lower base plate to enable the device to be moved laterally into engagement with the vertical column and said device having a rotatable arm thereon for engaging the vertical column of the sorting case.

7. A device for application to a support as defined in claim 1 consisting of a pair of adjacent base plates, each having an arcuate-shaped recess in adjacent upper and lower columns of a post office sorting case and in which the base member of the device includes a pair of upper legs having prongs thereon for engaging the respective edges of the upper base plates at the edges of the recesses in said adjacent upper base plate and a pair of lower legs having prongs thereon for engaging the respective edges of the lower base plates at the edges of the recesses in the lower adjacent base plates which upper legs terminate in rounded loops which merge into a level portion and in which the outer portion of the lower legs terminate in spaced rounded loops which are in spaced alignment with the respective rounded portions of the upper loops and at least one pair of which rounded loop portions is capable of receiving an elastic band, and means for connecting the outer level portions of the device together.

8. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the foundation material is provided with upper and lower spaced notches, the lower portion of each of which is of sufficient depth to receive downwardly extending flanges on upper and lower supports.

9. A device for aiding in the application of an elastic band to a bundle of mail as defined in claim 1 including a foundation means in the form of spaced wires, each of which wires has spaced end hooks for engaging a support and with portions extending outwardly from said supports, each of which outwardly extending portions is provided with a reverse bend adjacent its central portion to form rounded portions which merge into a level portion to thereby form a pair of aligned rolls for receiving an elastic band, and means for connecting the central portions of said wires together.

10. A device for aiding in the application of an elastic band to a bundle of mail as defined in claim 22 in which the reverse bends in each wire is adjacent the central portion which then merges to form rounded portions on each side of the central portion of each wire and means for connecting the rounded portions of the wires together so that an elastic band may be applied to the pair of rounded portions of the device on one side of the rounded portions of each wire when the postal clerk is right handed and to the other pair of rounded portions of the device when the postal clerk is left handed.

11. A device as defined in claim 10 in which the support for the device consists of a wall portion of a post office sorting case.

12. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the support for the device consists of the edge portion of a wall having upper and lower aligned spaced holes therein and the device includes two pairs of legs, the upper legs of which engage the face of the support and having inturned prongs extending into the upper aligned holes in the support and the lower legs of which engage the face of the support and have inturned prongs extending into the lower holes of the support, and each pair of legs being inclined outwardly and having reverse loops thereon for forming rounded portions with each of the rounded portion in an upper leg being in alignment with a rounded portion in a lower leg to form pairs of rounded support for receiving an elastic band and in which the loops of the upper legs merge to form an upper level portion of the device and the loops of the lower legs merge to form a lower level portion of the device, and means for ocnnecting the level portions of the device together. 

1. A device for aiding in the application of an endless elastic band to a bundle of mail including foundation means, part of which are so shaped that they may be secured to a stationary support, means forming part of and extending outwardly from said foundation means and having stationary arcuate-shaped portions at its oppose ends, means for positively connecting said arcuateshaped portions together and maintaining them in stationary positions, said arcuate-shaped portions being arranged at a sufficient distance from each other for receiving an elastic band when the band is in a contracted state, and said band having sufficient resilency that it may be expanded outwardly to a sufficient extent from the stationary rounded portions of said device to permit a bundle of mail to be inserted within a loop formed by the spaced arcuate-shaped portions of the device and the expanded band.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the rounded portions of the device are sufficiently narrow so that a slight twist of the bundle of mail within the contracted elastic band will enable the bundle with the contracted band thereon to be moved from the device.
 3. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the means extending outwardly from the foundation means has two pairs of rounded portions thereon with the rounded portions of each pair being in spaced relation to each other and in which the rounded portions of each pair are so arranged relative to each other that the elastic band may be applied to one pair of rounded portions of the device when the postal clerk is right handed and to the other pair of rounded portions when the postal clerk is left handed.
 4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the foundation means is provided with spaced upper aligned narrow openings and spaced lower aligned narrow openings for receiving portions of a support.
 5. A device for application to a support as defined in claim 1 in which the support is the base portion of two aligned upper and lower pockets of a post office sorting case, each having an arcuate-shaped recess therein, and in which the device has upper aligned openings therein for receiving the edges of the recess in the upper pocket and lower aligned openings therein for receiving the edges of the recess in the lower pocket.
 6. A device for application to a support as defined in claim 1 in which the support is the base portions of two aligned upper and lower plates of a post office sorting case, each having an arcuate-shaped recess therein and a vertical column of the case therebetween and in which the device has an upper notch for receiving a portion of the upper base member and a lower notch for receiving a portion of the lower base plate to enable the device to be moved laterally into engagement with the vertical column and said device having a rotatable arm thereon for engaging the vertical column of the sorting case.
 7. A device for application to a support as defined in claim 1 consisting of a pair of adjacent base plates, each having an arcuate-shaped recess in adjacent upper and lower columns of a post office sorting case and in which the base member of the device includes a pair of upper legs having prongs thereon for engaging the respective edges of the upper base plates at the edges of the recesses in said adjacent upper base plate and a pair of lower legs having prongs thereon for engaging the respective edges of the lower base plates at the edges of the recesses in the lower adjacent base plates which upper legs terminate in rounded loops which merge into a level portion and in which the outer portion of the lower legs terminate in spaced rounded loops which are in spaced alignment with the respective rounded portions of the upper loops and at least one pair of which rounded loop portions is capable of receiving an elastic band, and means for connecting the outer level portions of the device together.
 8. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the foundation material is provided with upper and lower spaced notches, the lower portion of each of which is of sufficient depth to receive downwardly extending flanges on upper and lower supports.
 9. A device for aiding in the application of an elastic band to a bundle of mail as defined in claim 1 including a foundation means in the form of spaced wires, each of which wires has spaced end hooks for engaging a support and with portions extending outwardly from said supports, each of which outwardly extending portions is provided with a reverse bend adjacent its central portion to form rounded portions which merge into a level portion to thereby form a pair of aligned rolls for receiving an elastic band, and means for connecting the central portions of said wires together.
 10. A device for aiding in the application of an elastic band to a bundle of mail as defined in claim 22 in which the reverse bends in each wire is adjacent the central portion which then merges to form rounded portions on each side of the central portion of each wire and means for connecting the rounded portions of the wires together so that an elastic band may be applied to the pair of rounded portions of the device on one side of the rounded portions of each wire when the postal clerk is right handed and to the other pair of rounded portions of the device when the postal clerk is left handed.
 11. A device as defined in claim 10 in which the support for the device consists of a wall portion of a post office sorting case.
 12. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the support for the device consists of the edge portion of a wall having upper and lower aligned spaced holes tHerein and the device includes two pairs of legs, the upper legs of which engage the face of the support and having inturned prongs extending into the upper aligned holes in the support and the lower legs of which engage the face of the support and have inturned prongs extending into the lower holes of the support, and each pair of legs being inclined outwardly and having reverse loops thereon for forming rounded portions with each of the rounded portion in an upper leg being in alignment with a rounded portion in a lower leg to form pairs of rounded support for receiving an elastic band and in which the loops of the upper legs merge to form an upper level portion of the device and the loops of the lower legs merge to form a lower level portion of the device, and means for ocnnecting the level portions of the device together. 